Means for sheltering the landing-places of airships from the force of the wind.



H. GOTHAN.

MEANS r011 SHELTEBING THE LANDING PLACES or AIRSHIPS mom THE FORGE OF THE WIND.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1909.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

"" "i'r ii ,WIT T ES Prgnntr FFICE.

HERMANN ,G-OTHAN, CELLE, GERMANY.

MEANS FOR sHEETEEINe THE LAnnmd-PE-AeEs 0E amsmrsmnom THE FORCE or THE WIND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

T Applicattonfiled September 22, 1909. Serial No. 519,034.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN Go'rnxn, a citizen of the German Empire, and resident of 42 Hannoverschestrasse, Celle, in the Province of Hanover, Germany, have invented new and Improved Means for Sheltering the Landing-Places of Airships from the Force of the Wind, of which the follow ing is a specification.

' This invention has for its object to provide improved means for sheltering the landing places of air ships from the force of the wind, and it consists substantially in providing a screen or screens of air on one or more sides of the landing place such as the landing space immediately in front of the entrance of an airship shed by causing air currents to issue with great velocity from a perforated conduit or conduits or a series of nozzles in a vertical or inclined direction over the height of the airship balloon, for the purpose of deflecting the wind or moderating its force and thereby protecting the balloon from the force of the wind.

In airships it is the balloon which owing to its great surface is chiefly exposed tothe attacks of the wind, and the present improvements are primarily designed to protect the said balloon. It. is self evident that the car and the connections between the car and the balloon are much smaller than the latter and therefore do not offer a large surface to the wind. Consequently the improved means of protection which is constituted by a screen or screens of air currents of great velocity need only extend over along the height of the balloon. I

The conduit or conduits from which the air currents of great velocity are desi nod to issue, are preferably arranged arounc the entrance of an airship shed, provision being made for gate-ways where required, by shutting otf the air supply to the conduits at those points. i

There is no risk of the airships coming into collision with the air conduit because the latter is to be made as circuitous as possible around the balloon shed, so that the air ship will always be able to ascend and descend at a suitable inclination without ditficulty.

The invention is illustrated in the accom I :panying drawing in which- Figure 1 represents in plan view means for sheltering the landin places of air ships embodying in desirable orm the present improvements, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the device shown in Fi 1.

According to the present invention the landing shed proper a is open at one end and" facing this open end there is a landin place I). by a pipe 0 having a number of nozzles c. A compressed air supply pipe 0 connects with the pipe 0 and the air supply is controlled by a valve 0 Assuming that an air-ship e is traveling in the direction of the arrow f and that the wind is blowing in a contrary direction, as indicated by the arrow 03, the nozzles 0 indicated in the drawing would be opened so that a plurality of upwardly directe'd streams of compressed air form a wall around the landing place 6 somewhere about the level of the balloon body 6 as indicated in Fig. 1 by the small crosses within the landing place 6 near the nozzles c. The landing place proper is shown as surrounded by a railing g or the like.

'1. In a landing place for air-ships, a compressed air conduit having exit orifices adapted to issue air currents of great velocity in an upward direction to protect the balloon from the wind while landing.

2. In a landing place for airships, the combination of a conduit having exit orifices located on the windward side of said landing place, a compressed air supply pipe connected to said conduit. and means for admitting andshutting off the compressed airsupply, whereby the air issuing with great velocity from said orifices in an upward direction forms a screen of air for sheltering the airship balloon from the force of the wind, as set forth.

3. The combination of an airship shed, a landing place for airships situated in front of the entrance of said airship shed, a conduit having exit orifices located on the windward side of said landing place, a compressed air supply pipe connected to said The landing place 6 is surrounded a landing place for airships situated in front 3 v season conduit and means for adrnitting and shut= means for admittin and shnttin oif said ting 01f said compressed air supply, as set compressed air supp y, asset fort forth. In witness whereof I have hereunto set 4. The combination of an airship shed, a my hand in the presence of two witnesses .of the entrance of said airship shed a plu-'- HERMANN GOTHAN' rality of conduits having exit orilices lo- Witnesses:

cated around said landin place, a com- -PAUL THOMPSON, pressed air supply to said conduits and M. L. THoMPsoN. 

